


Kit

by lemonoclefox



Series: Bits of AU Malec [2]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Dogs, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Humor, M/M, Yeah it's a thing, alec is a dog walker, dog walker au, magnus has a dog
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-26
Updated: 2017-07-26
Packaged: 2018-12-07 11:04:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,786
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11622234
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lemonoclefox/pseuds/lemonoclefox
Summary: Alec is a dog walker, and starts a habit of passing notes with a particular dog's absent owner every day.  Fluff ensues.





	Kit

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in 5 hours. Idk how or why, but here it is. Fluffy, short and sweet. Enjoy!

Dog walking isn't a particularly glamorous profession. Mostly, it involves dealing with overbearing owners, drying off muddy canines, and babysitting dogs of all sizes and personalities while visiting the dog-equivalent of a playground. But Alec enjoys it. Even in a big city, where living space can be cramped and hours spent at home can be few, humans can't seem to resist getting pets. It's Alec's job to make sure that at least some of those pets are walked and cared for and socialized, when their owners are away during the day.

Now, Alec likes all his clients equally, of course―clients, as in, dogs. The owners are another story, and thankfully Alec never really has to interact with them much. But although he likes all the dogs equally, he's only human, and so he has his favorites.

One of his favorites is a black medium poodle named Kit, who would spend entire days alone if it weren't for Alec's services.

Every day, Monday to Friday, Alec unlocks the front door of this particular apartment, and is met with happy barking, as Kit runs to meet him. Every day, he takes the dog for an hour-long outing in the early afternoon, before bringing him back home. And every day, Alec leaves a standard note for the owner behind, letting them know how the dog behaved, if he ate anything odd, and also less fun details like whether or not the dog did its business and how much of it. It's all pretty standard, and it's not that thrilling―but Alec loves his job. More importantly, he appreciates pet owners making sure their pets are cared for, almost as much as he appreciates spending time with the pets, in the first place.

Kit isn't the only dog Alec walks. He sometimes walks six dogs at a time, around the city and through parks, sometimes picking them up at their homes and sometimes at the daycare center where he works. This particular dog likes special attention, though, and so when Alec walks him, Kit is the only dog he walks.

The apartment where Kit's owner lives is stylish, expensive-looking, but not obnoxiously so. There's a modest bed for Kit next to the couch in the open living room, and the food- and water bowls look more like tasteful pieces of interior design than purely practical containers. It's clear that this guy loves his dog; Kit is always well-groomed (though lacking any typical poodle cut, and instead just wildly curly), well-fed, and very affectionate. Alec is always happy to see the little guy, and always a bit sad to drop him off. He has no idea what the owner is like, seeing as how they've never met. The only interaction they have is through the notes Alec leaves behind on the marble kitchen counter every day, with updates and information about whatever needs reporting, as is protocol and part of the service.

 _Interaction_ might not be the right word, perhaps, but it certainly becomes that, after a couple of weeks.

It's when Alec picks up Kit one afternoon that he sees it―a note lying where he usually puts his own, at the end of the day.

 _Kit devoured a rubber ball last night,_ the note reads, in neat, elegant writing. _Don't be alarmed if it decides to come back out._

Alec chuckles, frowns to himself. Kit's owner has never left him a message before, though he supposes that it's not that odd when it relates to something purely practical. This is good for Alec to know, after all.

Sure enough, Kit sulks all the way to the park, and―after some running around and playing―vomits up something small, round, and red onto the autumn leaf-covered ground. When he's done, he expectantly looks up at Alec, who just raises his eyebrows.

"Classy," he says, but at least the dog is noticeably more chipper, from then on.

When Alec drops Kit off after their walk, he leaves the usual note detailing the day's notable events. After some deliberation, though, he adds an extra couple of lines at the end.

 _The ball came back out,_ he writes. _Hopefully I'll survive the trauma._

He feels a little silly leaving it like that, but figures the owner might want to know. It's no big deal.

 

When Alec returns to pick up Kit the next day, there's another note waiting for him. This time, however, there's a small paper box sitting on top of it, a bakery logo printed on the side.

 _For the trauma,_ the note reads, and Alec opens the box. There's an oatmeal muffin inside, and his eyebrows go up in surprise. He can't help but laugh, and he looks down at Kit, who's patiently sitting on the floor beside him.

"Have you been saying nice things about me?" he asks the dog, and Kit tilts his head. "I've never gotten a muffin before."

Unhelpfully, Kit just emits a soft half-bark, as though reminding Alec that they've got places to be, and things to do. Alec supposes he can't argue with that.

Still, when he drops Kit off after their walk, he leaves another note.

 _The muffin worked miracles, thank you,_ he writes. He hesitates, before adding, _(oatmeal is one of my favorites)_

He feels even sillier, this time, but leaves the note anyway.

 

 _What's THE favorite?_ the note reads the next day. Alec chews his bottom lip, thinking, surprised and reluctantly amused by the question.

 _I like to keep an air of mystery,_ he writes, deciding to forego a serious answer and instead maintaining the semi-teasing tone, so far. He has no idea why. He has never even met this guy, but he gets the impression he'd appreciate it.

Judging by the blueberry muffin waiting on the counter the next day, Alec is right.

 _I like a challenge,_ the note reads. Alec exhales a laugh, shaking his head as he rubs his forehead with his fingers, eyeing the message. This is highly unusual.

Still, at the end of the day, he signs off his standard update with, _Blueberry: 4/5 stars._

It becomes a thing, somehow. Over the next couple of weeks, Alec finds various kinds of muffins waiting for him on the counter―banana, chocolate chip, pistachio, apple, even one containing kale. For that one, Alec writes, _The kale-thing has gone too far._ To which Kit's owner replies, _It was a test. You passed._

It's not always muffins; one day, there's a croissant waiting, with a message. _They were out of muffins,_ it reads. _I hope our relationship can survive this._ After some embarrassingly charmed grinning during the entirety of Kit's walk, Alec replies, _I'm crushed, but the croissant helped. Relationship crisis averted._

 _I've never been more relieved,_ the note reads the next day. Alec notices that only a few of Kit's favorite treats are left in their designated jar, and so he leaves a fresh bag of new ones behind after that day's walk. _I can't have Kit living in squalor,_ he writes, to accompany the gift. _I'm glad our priorities are the same,_ reads the next day's reply.

 

It keeps happening, as the weeks pass, Alec finding various edible things waiting for him on the counter. Not every day, but most, and regardless of that, there's always a message. Sometimes it relates to Kit, but mostly it's silly stuff, and Alec keeps returning the favor with equally silly messages of his own, along with the occasional gift. Once, he even leaves behind a pastry of his own, from his favorite bakery. _Superior blueberry muffin,_ his note reads. When the response is enthusiastic the next day, Alec repeats the process, but with a couple of chocolate truffles instead, from the same place.

 _Maybe more your speed,_ he writes. It seems presumptuous, but judging by the man's home and its overall elegance and style, Alec thinks it's fair to assume he'd appreciate something like brandy truffles.

Eventually, Alec finds himself looking forward to the notes as much walking the dog, each weekday. Notes from the dog owner, himself. He doesn't even know the guy's name― _M. Bane_ is all it says both on the apartment, as well as the time-booking system for the dog walking service. He doesn't know what M. Bane looks like, only that it's a man. An attractive one, according to Clary's description when Alec vaguely―and hopefully-smoothly―asked about it. _Handsome,_ she said. Apparently, he has only personally been to the daycare center once, and only then to see for himself what kind of people would be caring for his dog. Sure, Alec could make a little more effort in finding out who this guy is―but he's not sure he really wants to.

What would he even do, if he found out more? Maybe this is better, this fun exchange they have, in very small doses and in a safe way. Alec is a little embarrassed to admit that he's even kind of crushing on the guy, especially since they've never even met. Though at least he knows Alec's name, since it's at the top of each report Alec leaves behind. All Alec has is a string of silly notes and offered baked goods, and he's not naive enough to make anything more of it.

Still, though. He allows himself the small fantasy of it all. As long as it remains in a hypothetical state, it's fun, and perfectly harmless.

 

It's after a solid month of daily note-swapping that things take a turn.

It's gotten colder outside, fall having turned into winter seemingly overnight, and Alec takes his knitted scarf off the moment he steps through the front door of Kit's home, after their walk. The sudden shift from cold to warm makes his cheeks flush, and he unzips his jacket. Kit hurries away as soon as Alec lets him off his leash, into the open kitchen area to immediately drink from his water bowl. Meanwhile, Alec locks the door behind him, out of habit.

M. Bane left two coconut macaroons for him today, and Alec smiles a little as he makes his way over to the kitchen counter. He usually eats whatever's offered while he walks Kit, but given the cold, he wasn't too keen on having his hands out of his pockets for more than a few seconds at a time. As it is, he munches on one of the treats while writing his report, and only looks up when he hears Kit coughing. He's standing by his water bowl, wheezing slightly, water slobbered around the bowl. Alec shakes his head.

"You drink too fast," he says, and Kit licks his chops, as though silently agreeing, water dripping from his chin. Alec turns back to his task, finishes up the last of the macaroon. He picks up the second one, and takes a bite as he eyes the bottom of the paper when he's done writing. He considers what more to add.

He doesn't get to consider it for very long.

The sudden sound of the front door unlocking makes Alec more tense than it should. Perhaps it's the fact that no one has ever been here, or arrived, whenever he's been around, but for one unsettling second, it feels like his own home is being broken into. The irrational response is soothed half a second later, when Kit runs to the hall and does that happy, high-pitched whining Alec knows and loves. It's half a second after that that Alec realizes there's another, actual person in the loft, a conclusion undeniable in its truth thanks to the way the newcomer happily greets the dog.

Alec only has time to look up, mid-chew, macaroon in hand, before this other person steps out of the hall and into view.

The man just stands there for a few moments, stunned, halfway through pulling off his scarf, his burgundy winter coat already unbuttoned. Alec can't really blame him for his reaction. There is currently a stranger leaned over his kitchen counter, no doubt with a stupid deer-in-the-headlights look on his face, and the only thing really vouching for Alec is Kit enthusiastically running over and jumping up to pat his leg, as if to share his own excitement at this man's arrival.

Alec slowly starts chewing again, eyes on the man as he swallows the bite and straightens where he stands. It's only been about two seconds since they locked eyes, but it feels like longer, and Alec tries to think of something to say. It takes an embarrassingly long time for him to realize that this guy is obviously Kit's owner, but the guy in question speaks before Alec has a chance to.

"So," the man says, drawing out the word slightly as he points at Alec, "I'm thinking that you're either a very inept burglar with a sweet tooth, or you're the dog walker."

Alec looks down at the half-eaten macaroon in his hand, and puts it back in the small paper box it came in.

"Uh, the latter, yes," he says, looking back up. He hesitates. "Alec."

The man raises his eyebrows in a somewhat amused expression.

"I gathered," he says with a small smile. "I'm Magnus."

Alec nods. _Magnus._ In the midst of the pleasantries, he must admit he feels a little ridiculous, for some reason he can't pinpoint.

He knows the guy's name now, though. _Magnus._ And he knows that Clary's use of _handsome_ was a major understatement.

"I, uh," Alec starts, gesturing at the dog as he runs back over to his human. "I just came to drop him off."

Magnus nods. The tips of his ears are a little pink from the cold, Alec notices, as is his nose.

"Wonderful," Magnus says, gathering up his scarf in his hands. "I'm assuming he's behaved?"

"As always," Alec assures him, clinging to the familiarity and secure territory of dog-related work things. He cocks his head. "He picked a fight with a cane corso, at the dog park, but thankfully she was the bigger person and just walked away."

Magnus looks down at his dog, _tsk_ s at him as he shakes his head.

"What have I told you about being cocky?" he reprimands gently. "Pick your battles." The dog lets out a soft whine, as though talking back, and Alec can't help but smile. Magnus looks up at him. "He has no concept of his own size. My apologies."

"I've noticed," Alec says. "And don't worry about it. Don't tell him I said this, but none of the other dogs take him seriously, anyway."

Magnus gasps softly in offense.

"How dare they?" he says. Alec forces himself not to smile too wide at that, and Magnus watches him for a moment, before sighing. "Well, it's nice to finally meet you. I was starting to wonder if you were even real."

He retreats back into the hall, and Alec slowly moves away from the kitchen area, picking up his discarded scarf from the counter. He feels like this is probably his cue to leave. They're not really meant to cross paths, after all.

"I would've thought the missing baked goods would be a dead giveaway," he says without thinking, but Magnus's chuckle makes it worth it.

"Good point," Magnus says, emerging from the hall once more. He looks just as stylish without the warm layers of winter wear. Even more so, perhaps, given the long necklaces and the well-fitted, dark shirt. His eyes are lined with smoky black, Alec notices. It's a very good look on him. "And did you enjoy today's offering?"

Alec glances away, suddenly inexplicably awkward.

"I did," he says, smiling slightly as he turns back to Magnus. Magnus nods slowly, his gaze almost appraising, albeit warm, as it lingers on Alec.

"I'm glad," he says. He pauses. "Sorry for just barging in, by the way. Work finished up early, for once."

"God, don't apologize," Alec says. "It's your home. I just walk the dog."

"And we do appreciate that," Magnus says earnestly. "Very much."

Alec nods, can't help but smile. Again. Still.

He realizes that he has no idea what to say, or do. He wasn't expecting to actually meet M. Bane, and he definitely wasn't expecting to meet him like this. He's not prepared, in any way. And despite having sort-of talked every day for the past month, all that communication feels oddly vague, all of a sudden, like it didn't really happen. Referencing the notes and edible gifts out loud feels surreal, and Alec really doesn't know what to do with any of it.

He doesn't even know this person. He walks his dog, that's it.

Although, he knows some things. He knows that Magnus has a sense of humor, that he's considerate, maybe a little flirty. That he loves his dog and that he _likes a challenge_ , and that he enjoys indulging in things. Alec knows all that, just from short, daily notes.

He takes a deep breath.

"Anyway," he says, gesturing at the front door, twisting his scarf in his hands. "I should go."

"Right, of course," Magnus says. He says it a little too quickly, as though he also just had a moment to just process the fact that the note-leaving dog walker is an actual person. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Alec says. "And, uh, thank you for―" He gestures at the kitchen counter, and the macaroons, and Magnus smiles. It's a lovely smile.

"Not at all."

The silence that follows is odd. Do they acknowledge all of this? Should they? Is the whole thing somehow ruined now that the mystery is gone, so to speak? Maybe Magnus won't want to continue now that he's actually met Alec. Maybe he's disappointed. Alec has no idea why he would be, or why that would matter, but it occurs to him, all the same.

He decides to cut off that train of thought, right now.

"Maybe keep an eye on Kit," he blurts, averting his eyes as he makes his way toward the front door, zipping up his jacket as he goes. "He may or may not have dug something up at the park, and I don't know if he ate it, but―" He trails off, shrugs.

Magnus follows him into the hall, nodding.

"I'll keep that in mind," he says, and Alec turns around when he reaches the door.

"Good," he says, and Magnus just watches him for a few seconds, as he smoothes out his knitted scarf. When Magnus speaks, it's with some kind of barely-there hesitation Alec can't quite define.

"If I may ask," Magnus says. "What does your schedule look like, the next few days?"

Alec frowns slightly, surprised.

"Depends," he says, wrapping his scarf around his neck.

"Do you do evenings?" Magnus says. "It seems I'm in need of a dog-sitter."

"Sure," Alec says. He doesn't usually work outside regular hours, but he'd be happy to make an exception for Kit. He's also happy to be talking about something as simple as work, at the moment. "When?"

"Whenever you're free," Magnus says with a light shrug, and Alec's frown deepens.

"Okay," he says, slightly confused. "Uh, anytime this week works."

"How about Thursday?"

"Yeah, okay," Alec says. "You got plans?"

"No." The reply is immediate and simple, and Alec just stares for a few moments, then glances to the side as he tries to make sense of the request. He narrows his eyes.

"So," he starts. "Where... will you be?"

"Here," Magnus says. "Probably."

Alec looks back at him, keeps his eyes narrowed, confused.

"Then why do you need a dog-sitter?" he asks. He's starting to feel a little stupid, like he's missing something, but Magnus replies at once.

"Because it's a good excuse to invite you over for, say, dinner?" he says, and a weird, stunned weight swoops down into Alec's stomach, as the real nature of Magnus's request sinks in. "Or, at least I thought it was, until I said it out loud. Now, I'm not so sure."

"No, it's―" Alec blurts, then stops himself. He gestures pointlessly for a moment, tries to think of what to say. Meanwhile, Magnus watches him patiently, eyebrows slightly raised, though Alec swears he sees just a trace of insecurity beneath it. He licks his lips. "It's fine. I mean, it― Yeah, Thursday night works."

He nods. He can suddenly feel his neck heating up, and he blames the thick scarf combined with the warmth of the apartment for that. Magnus's expression smoothes out slightly. His smile is relieved, albeit small.

"Lovely," he says. "I'm sure Kit will be very happy to hear it."

Alec nods again, rolls his lips over his teeth as he presses them together.

"M-hm," he says, awkwardly lost for words.

"Seven sound okay?"

"Yep."

Magnus's smile widens slightly, softer and more relaxed than a moment ago, less nervous. Alec didn't even realize it looked nervous, before. And he would be lying if he said it didn't help a bit to know that someone like Magnus has the ability to be nervous, at all. That said, a full five seconds of silence pass before Magnus breaks it.

"Just to be clear, I'm asking you on a date―"

"Yeah, I got that," Alec interrupts tactlessly, nodding.

"Good," Magnus says. "Good."

Somehow, miraculously, the atmosphere is suddenly more tense than it was a minute ago, and Alec chews his bottom lip, silently scrambling. Magnus just asked him on a date. Magnus, the mystery man with whom Alec has exchanged silly, borderline flirty notes for the past month, just asked him on a date.

He feels like his brain might explode.

"Okay, yeah, I― I should go." Alec blurts it without thinking, breaking the silence again, and Magnus straightens a little where he stands.

"Right, yes," he says. "And I have your number, so I'll just―"

"Yeah."

"Right."

Another few moments of silence, but this time, the tension is almost amusing. When Magnus's mouth curves into a tiny, restrained smile, Alec can't help but mirror it, and suddenly, they're both grinning. Alec clears his throat, nods, unable to wipe the almost-sheepish smile off his face.

"Okay, I'm going now," he says. Magnus nods.

"Yes," he says. Alec licks his lips, takes a breath.

"Right," he says. Then, without thinking, he leans in and places a quick peck on Magnus's cheek. He's not sure why he does it, and it seems to take Magnus by surprise, but his expression is one of warm amusement when Alec pulls away. "I'll see you, Thursday."

As Alec opens the front door behind him and steps out, Magnus nods, still smiling.

"Can't wait," he says, and Alec honestly doesn't know how he's expected to, either.

**Author's Note:**

> Visit me on [tumblr](http://lemonoclefox.tumblr.com) and [the twitters](http://twitter.com/lemonoclefox)!


End file.
